HANGING ON FOR A DEAR LIFE

  Futures for the S&P 500 are off of their highs, but they still point to a positive start for this session. Meanwhile, Europe's major bourses have given up a chunk of their recent gains. In turn, Germany's DAX now trades with a 0.3% gain. Consumer goods (+1.7%) are the best performers as Daimler (DAI) rebounds from a weak performance in the prior session. Volkswagen is also performing well. In France, the CAC is up 0.4%. Energy giant Total (TOT) is a primary source of strength there. BP Plc (BP) has spiked to help Britain's FTSE to a 0.6% gain. Oil and gas oil stocks are up 1.9%, collectively. In Asia, Japan's Nikkei fell to a 0.7% loss as its declining issues outnumbered advancers by 4-to-1. Kyocera (KYO) was among the heaviest drags on trade. In mainland China, the Shanghai Composite closed 0.4% lower as its declining issues outnumbered its advancers by 2-to-1. China Petroleum (SNP) pulled down action and offset strength among bank stocks like Industrial & Commercial Bank, Bank of China, China Merchants Bank, and China Citic Bank. However, Industrial & Commercial Bank was a laggard on Hong Kong's Hang Seng. Still, the Hang Seng was able to stage a 0.4% gain amid leadership from oil and gas giant CNOOC (CEO).